[JURIST] Police in Uganda JURIST news archive] have summoned opposition leader Kizza Besigye [BBC profile] to question him about alleged electoral law violations during last month's elections [JURIST report]. Besigye purportedly waved the lid of the ballot box at the polling station where he placed his vote, and if true, violated the law that states that "a person who without due authority, destroys, takes, opens or otherwise interferes with a ballot box commits an offence." Press photographers captured images of Besigye waving the lid of the ballot box, but questions remain as to why the ballot box was not properly sealed, as required by law. Besigye, meanwhile, has said that the Ugandan Electoral Commission [official website] is frustrating the legal challenge [JURIST report] lodged by the Forum for Democratic Change [party website] against the election results by failing to turn over tally sheets [Daily Monitor report] showing election returns.

Besigye, who has represented the strongest challenge against Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni [BBC profile] over his 20 year rule, has faced other criminal charges recently, including rape and treason. Besigye was acquitted [JURIST report] of the rape charge and the treason charge is still pending [JURIST report] in court. Besigye has said that all of the charges are politically motivated and were aimed at destabilizing Besigye's campaign against Museveni. AFP has more.

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